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Morning of Madness
November 12th, 7:40 AM Wildomar, Iodine Springs Hill, The Altar Mandy Lane: She stirs slightly, feeling strange as she moves, like she's heavy. She opens her eyes, the dim blue sky overhead as the sun is rising over the hill. She looks outwards onto a dirt clearing. Isaac and Leo are laying on the ground ahead of her and she narrows her eyes to make sense of what's happening as she begins to collect her thoughts. She's no laying down, she is laying against something. She pulls her arm, and with difficulty she's able to move it, then she moves the other. As she looks over herself she sees that her clothes are covered in a slick black tar-like substance, which had glued her to a large black stone. She pulls herself out of her sweater and with difficulty frees her legs, falling to the dirt, her dry throat causes her to cough loudly, which wakes Isaac and also causes Leo to stir. Isaac: He opens his eyes, though he can't see he still immediately realizes he's not in his warm bed. After searching for his glasses that fell off he puts them back on and looks around to see where he is. Mandy Lane: She slowly gets to her feet. Despite feeling sickly and tired, at the same time she feels stronger. More able to carry herself. She looks around at their surroundings, the last thing she remembers being them chanting over the tome next to Isaac's house. She turns back to look at Isaac and then looks to Leo as he sits up. She's unsure of what to say, so she doesn't say anything at all. Leo: He rubs his stomach. He looks tired, worn down. What... Where the hell are we? Isaac: Their surroundings seem like something out of a DnD game making it almost exciting but because it's him and not one of his roleplay characters it mostly concerns him. Uhm...How did we get here, Mandy Lane? Mandy Lane: She looks around, I don't know. Leo: What do you mean you don't know? He stumbles to his feet and looks around. You ask us to do some... Some spell or something, and we wake up in the middle of nowhere?! Mandy Lane: That means it worked, doesn't it? She looks to him. Her eyes have a strange quality to them. Like their green-color is more vibrant. Why complain? Leo: He looks to Isaac. Because we're in the middle of fucking nowhere Mandy. He looks back to her, but she seems to be standing right in front of him suddenly, looking up at him. She puts her hand to the side of his face. He seems stunned suddenly, no saying anymore. Isaac: He isn't looking in their direction, having walked towards the slope of the hill to take their surroundings in to figure out where they are. He looks down at his watch, seeing it's 7:45, before looking around some more. The lake is over there, which means... They can barely hear him. He starts speaking to himself, something about "the sunrise's position" before he points somewhere else. We're an awful long way from the school. We're gonna need a car if we want to get back. He turns to look towards Mandy and Leo and immediately goes quiet when he sees Mandy touching Leo's face. Mandy Lane: Why can't you just be content? She narrows her eyes as she looks into his. Something incredible has happened to us, and all you can do is complain? She pulls away from him and shakes her head. Isaac: He isn't sure what to say and he just looks down, sliding his hands into his pockets. Leo: He takes a step back from her. You're pretty calm about waking up on top of a mountain at least a mile from where we were last night. Mandy Lane: She shakes her head again. There are worse things that have happened to us, aren't there? So why make a big deal out of nothing. Leo: He looks at her in confusion. This girl he barely knows, the place they've woken up, and the way she's rationalizing everything, making the entire situation that much more strange to him. Isaac: While they're still talking he realizes his face doesn't hurt anymore. He raises his hand up and touches underneath his eye, the bruise gone. He also remembers cutting his hand, he looks at his palm and sees it's healed. The...the cut on my hand isn't there anymore. Leo: What? He looks at his hand. Mandy is also looking at hers. Mandy Lane: She stares at her hand for a moment before letting it drop to her side. See how we should be grateful, not whining? Leo: I don't understand... What the hell happened? Isaac: I'm still trying to figure that out. Did someone bring us here? Did...we really cut our hands last night? Mandy Lane: She turns and walks to the edge of the hill next to Isaac. ...I remember something. A voice... She closes her eyes. I think she brought us here. Isaac: She?... Mandy Lane: I don't know... Astreiya... Maybe. She opens her eyes. It's like a dream that I can't remember. Isaac: He looks at her for a moment before looking back at Leo. Leo: We made some kind of deal didn't we? A deal with the devil. Mandy Lane: She looks at Leo. Don't be so dramatic. She turns away from the edge of the hill and starts to walk towards the path downwards, but stops when something catches her eye. The red tome she was carrying last night is floating in the air near to where they woke, moving ever so slowly, as if it were underwater. Leo: After a moment he turns to look at Mandy, and then follows her gaze to the floating book. I... I don't understand what's happening. Mandy Lane: Will you just be quiet. She glares back at him for a moment and then takes a step forwards towards the book. Isaac: He steps back and whispers to Leo. I'm a little scared... Leo: He's going to say something, but stops, since Mandy has shut him down every time he's opened his mouth. Mandy Lane: This book will give us the strength to defend ourselves. To let us take revenge. We're not going to just be some dumb kids anymore. We're going to have the power to change our fate... She looks back at them. Why are you two so hesitant? Isaac: This revenge sounds a lot more extreme than just pulling a prank. I don't want to hurt anyone, Mandy. Mandy Lane: I don't just want revenge or. I want... Peace of mind. She looks almost pleadingly at Isaac. I want to know I have the strength to keep assholes like Blake and Ricky from controlling my life. I want to know I can go to school and... And just... I just want to be free of everyone who tries to control me, threaten me. Everyone who wants to bring me down. Isaac: He sounds more scared than nervous now when talking to Mandy. What...What are you gonna do to them? Mandy Lane: She sighs. I'm not going to do anything to them, I just want the ability to keep them from doing things to me... Us... She shakes her head. Do you really want to spend the next year getting beat up and picked on. Being forced to do the work of half the football team every week just so that they can laugh at you and toss you into a dumpster? Isaac: They...only hurt us because we were talking to you, Mandy. Mandy Lane: Fine. Do the football team's homework. Get the shit kicked out of you because you talked to some girl. If that's how you want to spend your next year, or the rest of your life... Isaac: He isn't sure how to respond again. He just stays quiet and takes another step back, looking down at the floor. Mandy Lane: She looks at Leo. And what about you. Being the football team's lackey. Stringing you up to a statue outside. No respect from anyone no matter what you do. Leo: He just looks down. Mandy Lane: She turns and looks back at the book. It's our destiny, and you're choosing you let it slip away... Isaac: Our destiny?... Mandy Lane: Ours. With this we can choose it. For ourselves. Isaac: ...We need to start walking back. My mom's going to kill me if I miss school again. Mandy Lane: She turns and walks to the book, grabbing it out of the air. You two made your choice last night. The question is whether or not you'll fight It or embrace it. She turns and starts walking down the hill. Isaac: He watches Mandy walk down the hill before looking at Leo. Leo: ...All of this seems so wrong. He thinks of what happened to him. But still... She has a point. Isaac: He whispers. It is wrong. He points to the altar. I've read about these types of places before. This isn't part of an old church. Do you know what happens here? Cults use altars like these, Leo. Leo: I know. He rubs the back of his neck. What did we do? What have we done? ...Is there no turning back? Are we stuck with what we did last night? Isaac: I don't feel any different. Maybe we'll be okay... Leo: Maybe we should just... Wait it out. Maybe this is just a fluke. We woke up in the middle of nowhere because of some kind of hypnotic state... Or something. You know? What's that called? ...Collective... Hallucination. He shakes his head. I need to get home. Isaac: He nods. Let's go... He turns to look down the hill where Mandy was heading. Leo: About fifteen minutes later. he and Isaac are walking down the dirt road. Mandy is ahead of them about ten yards, carrying the massive red book. She looks out of place with her clothing all dirty, her hair messy, and she hasn't said a single word to them since. Isaac: He's keeps looking down at his watch every few minutes, concerned. It's eight o'clock. We're already late... Leo: ...I think we're just going to have to miss school today. Isaac: He smiles for the first time this morning. There's a gas station! The next street corner has an ampm gas station. It comes into view as they pass one of the groups of trees blocking it from their sight. Leo: He sighs, glad that they can call for a ride or something, but dreading the explanation he's going to have to give. After a moment he smiles a bit, happy that they're getting close to society and other people again. A few minutes later the three of them are walking into the gas station parking lot. The two guys have caught up to Mandy, who is only a foot or so ahead of them. Isaac: I know someone that can give us a ride. He steps ahead and opens the door for Mandy and Leo. Mandy Lane: She just stands off to the side, waiting for him to make the call. Leo: Who are you gonna call? Isaac: Sam. He's the only friend I have that won't be in class right...now. He stops talking as he hears a loud thump from inside the store. He turns to look and sees someone run out of sight behind the rows of snacks towards the back exit. On the floor infront of him is the body of an old man, a small puddle of blood around his head. Isaac: He takes a step back, almost about to freak out. Sh...shit. Leo. Leo: He runs up to the old man to check on him, Sir? He shakes him lightly. I don't know if he's... Upon closer inspection Leo sees that the old man's face is completely mutilated, like someone took a grater to his face until all the skin was gone, leaving just the red mess underneath. Leo: He just stares at the man's face for a moment before turning away, his face becoming pale. He's dead. Mandy Lane: She standing behind them, looking around the store. Did you see anyone? Isaac: S...s...s...someone. He shakily adjusts his glasses as he tries to talk. Someone's still here. He remembers the man running towards the exit but he never heard the door open. Mandy Lane: She takes a step back towards the door. So if they're still here... Isaac: His arms start trembling as he starts to have a panic attack. Leo: H-hey, Isaac. He stands up and grabs him, trying to calm him down, but he himself isn't calm. Calm down. He looks around the gas station, keeping an eye out. He pulls Isaac away from the body. Isaac nods as Leo calms him out of his panic for a moment but a loud nose makes all three of them suddenly jump, one of the snack stands having been tipped over. Mandy Lane: She shrinks backwards, holding up the book as if she's trying to shield herself with it. Leo: He pushes Isaac back towards Mandy. Whoever the hell is there... He looks around for a weapon. A quiet, cautious voice is heard from the back of the store. The language isn't english but it doesn't sound like any language either, like someone speaking gibberish. Leo: He grabs a broom. What the hell... The voice is heard again but this time louder. The three of them also hear a quiet noise, like something being rubbed against the floor tiles. Mandy Lane: We should be leaving... Leo: He nods slowly as the three of them back towards the door. The man raises his head from behind one of the rows of snacks. He looks straight at them and giggles like someone insane would. You. Can't leave. Leo: I think we're definitely leaving now... He nods slowly, taking another step backwards. The man keeps giggling and walks out into view. Nowhere. Angels. He raises a bloody knife and starts cutting his own throat while looking straight at at them. No more. God...grggragr. Blood starts to pour out of his neck and he collapses. Mandy Lane: Her eyes just go wide as she watches what's happening. Leo: What the... Hell... Isaac: His eyes are closed, having closed them the second he started cutting himself. The man's gurgling sounds die out and his body becomes motionless on the floor as another puddle of blood forms under the second body. Leo: Let's get the fuck out of here... Isaac: He stands up without saying anything and quickly gets out. Mandy Lane: She follows Isaac, Leo right behind her. Leo: W-we gotta call the cops or something. He looks pale, almost green in color. The sounds of police sirens in the distance can be heard just as Leo finishes saying that. Leo: He looks around. Should we stay or leave? He looks at the other two, completely blank on what to do. Isaac: He looks around, they still have time to hide behind the trees they passed before. I...I don't know! He looks at Mandy. Mandy Lane: She narrows her eyes. What can we say to them? She slowly looks to the two of them. They're going to ask a lot of questions. Why we're covered in dirt and mud. Why we're not in school. What we're doing walking around a mile away from where we're supposed to be. I think it's best we don't get involved. She turns and quickly heads to the trees. Isaac: He doesn't argue with her and he runs after he, quickly hiding behind one of the trees in the distance. Leo: He looks back at the source of the sirens before caving and just running after the two of them.